more sources is considered. Every variant that is encountered in the following analysis
will be analysed according to the following criteria.
Rule 1: All variants are prima facie alternative readings. This rule stipulates that every
variant must be considered a priori as a possible alternative reading unless the reading
fails to meet the criteria as discussed in chapter 1, namely those conditions outlined by
Pulikottil.^83
Rule 2: Reconstructed variants are not counted. That is, all variants must be graphically
present in the sources to be considered. No variations that are the result of scholarly res-
toration of the manuscripts based on considerations of space will be treated in the follow-
ing analysis.
Rule 3: Only one variant can be counted for each semogenic unit. That is, if a single se-
mogenic unit^84 contains two variants, such as an orthographic and a linguistic difference,
only one of these differences may be counted in the analysis.^85 In such instances the vari-
ant that is counted is dependent upon Rule 4.
Rule 4: The most conservative reading is preferred. If a variant reading may be inter-
preted as either of two variant types, the variant type that has the least impact on the
(^83) “... unless a deviant reading does not fit in the grammatical or linguistic context of the passage, or disrupt
the logical flow of the passage, it cannot be considered to be an error,” (P. Pulikottil, Transmission of Bibli-
cal Texts in Qumran 84 , 24).
85 For a use of the term ‘semogenic unit’ in this study see the discussion below, pages 38-45.
This follows the methodology set out in I. Young, "Textual Stability," 6.